COVID-19 update and press conference – February 4, 2021. (PMO) — VIEW THE PRESS BRIEFING HERE ……..
The data being collected by student volunteers in “Operation Seek and Save” will be protected.
Head of the Department of Management Studies at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Dr. Dion Greenidge, gave this assurance yesterday, during a COVID-19 update and press conference.
Stressing that every precaution had been taken to ensure the security of the data being collected, Dr. Greenidge stated: “The data comes in real-time or almost real-time, and that comes through a secure server; only persons who have access credentials can access that server.”
In addition, Dr. Greenidge shared that the cell phones being used to collect the data were not the personal property of the student volunteers, and calls could not be made on those phones.
He said once the volunteer had completed the survey and it was uploaded, “it comes to the server; they can’t go back and look at that information”.
To further assure the public of the secure process of the data collection, Dr. Greenidge highlighted that persons would not be asked to submit their names; one member of the household would be interacting on the outside with the volunteer in order to complete the survey, and a technological process of geotagging is being used to identify households.
He explained that geotagging is similar to sending a location pin using a mobile device. “It’s similar to that … in terms of geotagging … so, we come to a location and we’re pinning that location.”
According to Dr. Greenidge, the aggregated data collected in the “Seek and Save” initiative would be used for both COVID-19 and dengue purposes, so as to “help us to identify the risk factors, those persons at risk, those areas at risk, and to be able to make what I would say affective intervention and decisions”.
Head of the COVID-19 Communications Unit, Ambassador Elizabeth Thompson, shared that all student volunteers and persons participating in the “seek and save” exercise had signed confidentiality agreements, and the 360 cell phones being used to conduct the survey were provided by Digicel.
SHEENA FORDE-CRAIGG — BGIS
============================================================================
Clarification On ‘Seek & Save Survey’ Question.
In response to a question asked during yesterday’s (February 4, 2021) COVID-19 update press conference, the incompleteness of the answer provided could have led to some misunderstanding of the information being sought by the students who are collecting data.
While it is true that the interviewers, when they visit a home, are not asking for the name of the person being interviewed, one of the questions on the form does specifically ask: “What is the name of the head of your household?”
This name is then automatically associated with geo-tagging of the property, which essentially allows authorities to locate it on a satellite map.
Coordinator of the exercise, University of the West Indies department head, Dr. Dion Greenidge, explained that these two factors — the specific identification of the head of the household and the satellite mapping of the home — along with other household data such as a telephone number and email address, would assist Government in accurately and efficiently directing any public health intervention that may be necessary, arising out of the survey.
This information is important because when the answers from the household symptom checklist are assessed, health officials may determine there is a need for a follow-up visit by trained medical personnel.
Additionally, the information collected will help other health and/or environmental personnel who may need to respond to assist with the elimination of conditions that may be promoting the spread of dengue fever.
However, interviewees reserve the right not to answer any specific question or not to participate at all.
Dr. Greenidge has reiterated that all information collected is being treated in the strictest confidence and thanked Barbadians for the high level of cooperation they have offered the students since the operations started on Wednesday.
From ROY R MORRIS
Press Secretary to the Prime Minister
roy.morris@pmo.gov.bb
